House passes bill to extend enforcement moratorium on direct supervision

The House of Representatives yesterday voted 420-0 to pass AHA-supported legislation (H.R. 5613) to extend through calendar year 2016 the enforcement delay on direct supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services provided in critical access hospitals and rural prospective payment system hospitals with 100 or fewer beds. The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration. “We applaud the House of Representatives’ action delaying enforcement of CMS’ direct supervision policy through 2016 for small, rural hospitals,” said AHA Executive Vice President Tom Nickels. “We look forward to Senate action, which would provide immediate regulatory relief to small, rural hospitals and ensure these communities continue to have access to outpatient therapeutic services.” AHA continues to urge Congress to also enact the AHA-supported Protecting Access to Rural Therapy Services Act (S. 257/H.R. 1611), which would adopt a default standard of “general supervision” for outpatient therapeutic services, among other provisions; and the Rural Hospital Regulatory Relief Act (H.R. 5164), which would permanently extend the enforcement moratorium for CAHs and small, rural hospitals.